


'66 Meets Injustice (Hiatus)

by EternalHope7



Series: Injustice ‘66 [2]
Category: Batman (1966), Injustice: Gods Among Us
Genre: '66 Gotham Baffles Injustice Batman, Absurd, Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Attempt at Humor, Bruce Wayne Has Issues, Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Companion Piece, Crack, Crack Crossover, Crimes & Criminals, Criminals and Cops Working Together, Crossover, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Injustice Batman Scares The Shit Out Of Everyone But Alfred, Misunderstandings, On Hiatus, Police, Secret Identity, Team Up, Violence, absurd situations, enemy of my enemy, manhunts, super crack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27271486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternalHope7/pseuds/EternalHope7
Summary: Through unknown means Injustice Batman finds himself in 1966 Gotham.Things... do not go well.
Series: Injustice ‘66 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1989226
Comments: 24
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

Bruce shut his eyes, flinching at the blinding flashes of lightning that flickered by overhead. His shoulders hunched in the cold rain as he paused at the end of the roof and looked down. Odd. A patrol should have been passing by below at just that moment. He leaned a little further to look down the dark sidewalks. No one. Had they been delayed? Bruce wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. His system of moving around the city depended on their patrols being consistent. He couldn't afford unwelcome surprises. Not now. The man paused then and took a closer look at the buildings below.

Even through the thick rain he could see the startlingly bright, cheerful colors of the shops down below. Bruce frowned at that. Had the shop owners been ordered to repaint them? Why? The Regime had never cared for Gotham beyond subduing it and ensuring compliance. Why would suddenly they care about how the city looked like now? A sudden light that cut across the darkness made the man look up. He stared at the skies. For the first time in years the Bat symbol lit up the clouds above what had once been the GCPD.

A trap.

That was his first thought. Superman and his teammates would be waiting. It made Bruce's lips curl back in disgust. After everything that they'd done, that Superman had done, that they'd then dare use his old symbol against him... Bruce reached down the popped open the first compartment on his belt. He toyed with taking the green pill inside it and then snapped it back shut. No. Better to wait. He'd take it when he got there. He was _done_ letting his past friendships get in the way of ending this. The Regime had taken Dick from him. They'd turned his own son against him. _Alfred_. Thinking of his butler made Bruce's heart clench. It felt wrong to know that he'd had to bury him this morning - that Alfred had reached his resting place beside mother and father before Bruce himself had. It was _wrong_. As he leapt over the drops and sprinted across the redone roofs Bruce clenched his teeth and ignored the ache in his jaw.


	2. Chapter 2

He glided low over the strangely well lit rooftops and frowned as he circled the GCPD. This wasn't right. It was too big, clean; well-kept. It was unnerving to not see the Regime's symbols proudly displayed above the windows. As he angled lower a small figure waved up at him from the sidewalk.

"Batman!" Bruce glided down and shook out his cape as he landed in front of the cheerful looking man. "Am I glad to see you right now."

"You... are." That wasn't the response he got nowadays. Something was _wrong_.

"Oh but of course! We'd almost given hope when your man who answers our calls said you were out!" The man who answers their calls? "Come on," the man encouraged him, "the Commissioner's waiting inside." Bruce slowly followed after him and studied his face in the bright lights of the long hallway they entered. He didn't know him. He didn't know many of the police officers any more. Most had been fired as Superman's soldiers took over the city and dismantled their justice system. The man glanced back at him as they continued down the hall, his eyes shining with an uncertainty he wasn't trying good enough to hide. "I must say, seeing you flying overhead like that nearly gave me a heart attack! For a moment I thought you really were a big old bat!" The man chuckled at his joke. Bruce didn't. The man cleared his throat. "Will Robin also have those fancy new upgrades?"

"Robin?" What was he talking about?

"It is odd to see you without the daring Boy Wonder. I hope he didn't catch cold in this awful rain!" Bruce's frown deepened as they paused in front of large double doors. Why was the man speaking like that? "Well, the Commissioner's inside." Another man he didn't recognize looked up at his entrance and smiled at him.

"I'm so pleased to see you, Batman! We were just about to call the museum and tell them to evacuate." Bruce eyed the office. If there were any traps they'd been well hidden. "Now that you're here, though, we won't have to!" The man sighed. "It's that cackling enemy of the people again, Batman. The Joker."

" _What_!?" He rounded on the two men. They both startled at his reaction.

"Um, yes." The older man said. "Our thoughts exactly." This wasn't the Regime, he realized. Superman would have never let them use the Joker like this. Not even to lure out Bruce. Had one of them gone behind his back to pull this off then? Who? "He left us this," the man held out a crumpled pamphlet. Bruce smooth out the paper and felt his chest tighten at the wide laughing lips that had been drawn onto it. It was an informational pamphlet for some kind of new exhibit - a Greek one. "Normally this would be a simple case," the stranger continued, "but as you well know the Gotham City Museum managed to book a very special guest speaker for the grand opening of the Greek exhibit."

"Wonder Woman." Bruce read her title aloud.

"Yes," the man said. "We... _understand_ that she can more than handle herself against that vile jokester, but this is to be a charitable event! I wouldn't want that dastardly prince of crime to sour her visit here!" He continued to speak but Bruce ignored him. Could this really be her doing? He would've thought Diana below such underhanded tactics but the past years had taught him that he had never known her as well as he'd thought. That she'd stoop to using the _Joker_... Bruce took one last look at the address before he crumpled the pamphlet up and turned from the two men. He walked over to the far window and slid the glass up. Exiting through it he snapped his cape wide to glide once more through the night. Diana. The Joker. What was she _doing_? If the Amazon had wanted his attention then she'd gotten it.


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce glided low over the rooftops and angled down to land in the shadows of an alleyway. He shook his cape to loosen it and then peered out at the dimly lit street before him. The museum was on the other side. No one walked the sidewalks, although he watched a few old fashioned cars drive by. Bruce didn't like this. He hadn't seen any patrols. No guards, surveillance systems, or Regime markings of any kind. It didn't make sense. What _was_ this?

"Alfred," he tried his communicator again. "Catwoman? _Anyone_?" No reply. For once, Bruce couldn't understand. Cyborg had to be jamming them somehow, but how had Diana's rogue group changed the city so quickly? He wanted to doubt that they'd somehow roped Barry into this bizarre trap. He knew that the speedster had some vestige of heroism left. Real heroism. Not the Regime's twisted version of it. So he'd been forced into this. That... could work for Bruce. If he could just find a way to convince the man over to his group's side - the benefits would be immeasurable. Bruce shook his head. He couldn't think about that right now. He had a trap to spring and use to his advantage.

The Joker.

Bruce clenched his teeth in anger. How _dare_ Diana use the man's name. Bruce kept to the shadows as he darted across the street and up the museum stairs. The glass door shattered under his fist and the caped crusader stepped into the dark room. He ignored the blaring alarm as he made his way forward and reached for his utility belt. The man pulled a batarang loose and crept towards the only light he could see. It was coming from a distant room - a glance at the large lettering above the partially open door told him what he was approaching. The Greek Exhibit. Bruce froze as a chillingly familiar cackle came from inside.

No. It couldn't be.

The Joker was _dead_!

The door splintered as he kicked it open and Bruce swept into the room. Four men startled at his entrance, the fifth- Green hair. A pink suit. A wide, red grin. _Impossible_.

"Batman!" The Joker cheerfully greeted him, "for once, you're early-" Bruce twisted to throw his batarang at the farthest man. The crook screamed as it pinned him to the wall through his shoulder. Bruce pulled his grappling gun loose and shot it at the man next to the trapped criminal. As the cord wrapped around thick shoulders Bruce hit the return button. The caught criminal gave a surprised shriek as Bruce leapt up and used the downward force of his fall to hammer the man into the floor. He stepped over the crook and pivoted to kick the third man. The hit slammed the shorter criminal back into the wall behind him and he slumped to the floor.

"Stop! Stop!" The shouts made Bruce pause. He looked back at the Joker. The man was staring at him in... horror? "What are you doing!? You're a duly deputized officer of the law! You can't," he gestured to his fallen henchmen, "do _that_!"

"Boss!" The only other man left standing kneeled by the side of the crook he'd hit. "Giggles... He, he ain't getting up!"

"Giggles!" Bruce stepped back as the Joker _ignored_ him and rushed to the unconscious crook's side. The billionaire watched as the two tried to rouse the other man. "Batman _doesn't_ do this," the Joker looked up to regard him with caution through narrowed eyes. "You're not him. Who are you, you ill fit _pretender_?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Get on the ground," Bruce ordered. He didn't have time for this. The man before him wasn't the Joker, he was an actor who'd been paid to play the part. The man was clearly just as crazy, though. To dress like the Joker here and now - Bruce had to get things under control and get him out of that suit and makeup before Superman caught wind of this.

"Freeze!" Bruce turned as the police officers from before strode into the room. The older one stopped short when he saw the fallen men and looked at Bruce with a horror that matched the fake Joker's.

"Watch out, Commissioner!" The pink suited man called out, "he's a violent imposter!"

"I _am_ Batman," Bruce told them, taking a step towards the window. He couldn't understand what was going on. What insane plot was this for the Joker's actor to pretend to be so horrified by him?

"Aha!" The actor pointed up at him. "Batman never needed to announce that he was Batman!" The man leaned forward, anger warring with the fear in his eyes. "You perverse phony, what have you done with the _real_ Batman?" The officers shared a look of startled realization before they both turned from the Joker and started toward Bruce. Like _he_ was the real threat. Enough of this bizarre act - if Wonder Woman wanted him she'd have to pursue him herself! Bruce turned towards the nearest window and shattered it with a Batarang. He sprinted towards it and leapt through the small opening, his cape billowing behind him as he landed outside.

Bruce ignored the indignant yells for him to stop and pulled his grappling gun free. The man fired it off at the top of the next building and let the cord pull him up to safety. He glanced back down - everyone was still inside. Certain that no one had seen him ascend and sure that they expected him to flee, Bruce crouched down at the edge of the building and watched to see what would happen next. He couldn't understand what was being planned. A fake Joker? Everyone acting like they didn't recognize him? What could Wonder Woman hope to achieve with this? Bruce looked up at the skies - ah, there. He crouched deeper into the shadows as Wonder Woman flew low across the opposite buildings and landed beside the police officers as they left the building. Why was she wearing her old costume?

"Wonder Woman," the older man greeted her. Off in the distance a siren sounded. Bruce watched as an ambulance raced through the quiet streets and headed towards the museum.

"Commissioner Gordon," she- _what_? _Gordon_? Bruce leaned forward. No, it couldn't be! The man looked nothing like Jim Gordon! "I came as soon as I heard. Has the Joker been caught?" The ambulance pulled in beside the parked police cars and two paramedics rushed out the back as they held a gurney between them. They disappeared inside.

"I'm afraid things have become more complicated than that. Something truly strange and terrible has taken place," the older man informed her. Wonder Woman gasped as the paramedics carefully wheeled Giggles out. The Joker actor, uncuffed and still free, followed after them. She covered her mouth in horror as the gurney was wheeled towards the ambulance.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice low enough that Bruce had to strain to hear her.

"It looks as if we have a dangerous imposter on the loose," the false Gordon told her. "He came by the department and tried to act like Batman, but we know our caped crusader well enough to tell the difference. I thought to round them all up here, but the imposter..." The older man turned to watch as the paramedics began the process of getting the gurney inside. "He horribly injured the Joker's henchmen. It was... _brutal_. Like nothing I've ever seen before."

"And nothing I want to see again." The other officer added as he shuddered. The "Joker" crawled up into the back of the ambulance as the paramedics helped the other actors inside. The doors shut with a click and then the vehicle took off down the street.

"We didn't want to burden you with this, Wonder Woman," the fake Gordon turned to her, "but please, help us. If our caped crusader truly has been replaced, we need to find him and see that this horrid pretender pays for his violence." Bruce quietly rose and strode to the far side of the building. A manufactured man hunt? Why? Why was Diana bothering with this ridiculous charade? He needed some way to contact his group. Let them know what was going on. He'd have to go to Wayne Manor, the man realized. His home would be his best bet for now. It had remained largely unchanged through the Regime's takeover of Gotham. They hadn't dared touch it while Alfred remained there. Alfred. His butler would help him make sense of this. Something strange was going on in Gotham - they would figure it out together. Bruce snapped his cape tight and then leapt off the side of the building.


	5. Chapter 5

Joker had stood at the bedside of Giggles. His dear goon had been tucked safely beneath the thin hospital blankets. The man had even gotten his very own nurse, a respectable young woman named Kimberly. She hadn't even batted an eye at Joker's presence, focusing instead on how she could best care for poor Giggles. He'd have to find some jewel or fine fur to give her after this was over. Having unbiased medical care was a boon he knew to cultivate. The Joker had taken a seat and watched in silence as Ms. Kimberly and two different doctors gently studied his goon's head wound. There'd been quiet murmuring of fancy medical terms he didn't understand. The serious tones had unnerved him. Where were the smiles? The laughter? The reassurances that Giggles would wake up and be just dandy?

None of that had happened. Instead, the shorter doctor had nervously swallowed and then turned to face him. The man had explained in nervous, sympathetic tones that they _didn't know_ if Giggles would ever wake up again. The Joker had just stared at him. Might not wake up? Giggles had a family to feed, he'd even shown the Joker pictures of his youngest, Richard. That was why the Joker had made sure to keep the man on his payroll even as other goons came and went. Giggles had to wake up. The Joker had stood then. Ignoring the flinches from the doctors the crook had walked over to his henchman's side. He'd looked down at that heavily bandaged face and spoken.

"Wake up, Giggles." His goon didn't even twitch. The Joker had leaned down to be closer to the man. "I've just planned the most _spectacular_ heist," he lied, "if you're with me, I'll give you a two dollar raise." Giggles didn't even shift. "Oh fine, since you're such a hard negotiator. Three." Nothing. "Four." Still nothing. " _Five_!"

"Mr. Joker?" The crown prince of crime had turned to glare down at the nurse. The little thing had looked at him with real sympathy. "The doctors will call out to other hospitals," she'd assured him. "We'll find a specialist - someone who knows a lot about head wounds. It'll just take a while, that's all." The Joker has stayed quiet as he walked around her to assume his seat. He'd gone back to watching the nurse care for Giggles as he devoted his mind to turning the events of that evening over and over. A rabid replacement for the caped crusader? Unacceptable! Preposterous! He wouldn't stand for it! Like as not the other wouldn't either, the thought occurred to him. A violent Batman? One who wouldn't hesitate to harm and maim? No, such a man was too dangerous to be allowed to claim the mantle of the mysterious law abiding citizen they fought. The Joker would take fatbat's determined law enforcement over this new Batman's bloody Batarangs any day!

Yet that was part of the problem, wasn't it. Their Batman hadn't answered the police officers' call for aid. As far as the Joker could remember, that never happened. Ever. Batman was always there for the poor, easily confused officers. They themselves had said outright that this strange new pretender had taken the man's place. Wait. Joker tapped his chin. Taken. No, no. He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to ponder further things - he had his fellows and ladies in crime to connect with. This violent Batman thought they'd all sit by and let him claim the true Batman's place? Sit by as he crippled their help? Never! The Joker glanced at Ms. Kimerly. She didn't look his way. Going to the tips of his toes, the Prince of Crime snuck out of the room and started down the hallway. He would think on the way back to his hideout.


End file.
